Walk Arlington Heights One Step at a Time

Get moving and “Walk Arlington” to improve your health and realize how walkable Arlington Heights’ neighborhoods and Downtown area is!

The Walk Arlington initiative, spearheaded by Village Trustee Thomas Glasgow, emphasizes the health and ecological benefits of walking, and also promotes how quickly a short walk in Downtown Arlington Heights transports you to entertainment venues, stores and restaurants.

In the Downtown area, the Village has created eight Walk Arlington Business Directories that are placed in large kiosks located at Harmony Park, the Downtown Train Station, North School Park, mid-block on Dunton Avenue and other Downtown locations. The directories show Downtown business locations as well as suggested walking routes to various destinations.

The depicted walking routes include the approximate amount of time it should take to walk to a specific destination. The Village’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission participated in developing the various walking courses in Downtown.The suggested walking routes vary from 3, 4 or 5 minutes, which helps people visualize how walkable and pedestrian friendly the Downtown area is. Each map also includes a legend that shows the amount of time it takes to walk one block in the Downtown, enabling people to determine how many minutes it may take to reach a particular location.

Blue Walk Arlington signs have also been added throughout the community to show walkers how short of a walk it may be to a nearby destination and approximately how many calories can be burned by walking to a certain location. The Village has partnered with other community entities such as the schools, hospital, Chamber and Park District to promote the project.

“I wanted to pursue the Walk Arlington project because it accomplishes three things for the Village. First, it emphasizes the health, calorie intake and fitness of our residents while promoting ecologically sound transportation,“ said Trustee Glasgow. “Second, it informs people of the walkability of the homes, businesses, parks, library and attractions of Arlington Heights. Finally, it allows us as community planners to have a long term focus on the walkability of our various neighborhoods throughout the Village.”

The Village will continue to promote the initiative in an effort to inspire people to do more walking and discover the many benefits of enjoying the walkability of Arlington Heights. “The Walk Arlington initiative not only promotes public health, but is reflective of the overall vibrancy of our community,” said Mayor Thomas W. Hayes. “Having walkable communities promotes longer lives and a better quality of life for our residents. Walkability is not only good for our younger and older residents, but it also increases property values, promotes businesses, cuts down on pollution and enhances residents’ lifestyle in Arlington Heights,” he said.